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After three epic battles last time out at Portimao, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid heads to another iconic circuit, and a track that isn’t short of stunning battles itself. The TT Circuit Assen hosts the third round of the 2025 season and there are already plenty of storylines to follow throughout the Pirelli Dutch Round. Will Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) continue their battles, will Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) be closer to the top two or will there be a shock on the cards at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’?

THE NEXT CHAPTER: the Razgatlioglu-Bulega fight moves to Assen

Portimao featured three unmissable fights between Razgatlioglu and Bulega, with ‘El Turco’, coming out on top in each one even if ‘Bulegas’ pushed him all the way. Their fight is set to continue at Assen and it’s Razgatlioglu who holds the advantage in terms of wins there, winning Race 2 last year, for his only win at the venue. Arguably, Assen is more Bautista territory than Razgatlioglu with the #19 winning seven races there, including five of the last seven. Is the fight at the front set to expand at Assen? Of course, Bautista’s seven wins at Assen pale in comparison to Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and his 17 victories but, while he hadn’t completely ruled out a return at Assen, the #65 will continue to sit out of the action and he is again replaced by Jason O’Halloran, who’s been on the podium twice at Assen while competing in British Superbike; in 2016 on a Honda and 2019 on a Yamaha. Razgatlioglu’s teammate, Michael van der Mark, will be hoping for success on home soil and he only missed out on the rostrum at Assen four times in his first 12 races there, but none in his last ten; could that change this year?

YAMAHA’S STEP FORWARD: more to come at Assen? Who else could be in the mix?

Yamaha seemed to make a big step forward at Portimao, particularly in the hands of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and will hope that continues at a circuit he claimed the first of his 19 WorldSBK podiums at in 2021 with third in Race 2; in total, he has three at the Dutch venue, one of his most successful circuits. Last year, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed his first WorldSBK rostrum at Assen with P3 in Race 2 while his teammate, Dominique Aegerter, has been in the top seven in four of his six WorldSBK races here. One theme from 2025 so far has been how closely-matched the Bimota riders have been with Locatelli, often with Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and ‘Loka’ not separated by much. This could continue at Assen, the venue of the #22’s first pole, while Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) has often been in the top ten. Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) claimed his first rostrum at Assen in 2022, and with time on the bike, will hope he can continue from a solid weekend at Portimao, while teammate Xavi Vierge could be in the mix too. After showing strong pace in winter testing, Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) will be hoping for better fortunes than in the first two rounds.

INDEPENDENT STARS IN THE HUNT: Petrucci vs Iannone and more?

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) has only raced at Assen once, in 2023, after missing last year’s round through injury – though his team did win as Nicholas Spinelli shocked everyone and won Race 1. In his debut season, Assen was the third round for ‘Petrux’ and it’s fair to say he’s taken huge steps since then, so expect him to be competing at the front. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) was fourth in Race 1 last year, his first WorldSBK race at Assen, and will be aiming for more of the same; both have stood on the rostrum in other Championships, Petrucci in 2017 in MotoGP™ and Iannone a winner in Moto2™ in 2010, and a further podium in 2012. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) will be aiming for a better Assen, and he has form at the Dutch circuit on the Panigale V4 R, with two podiums on Ducati machinery in 2021. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) has experience of Assen from his BSB days back in 2019, although didn’t score points, while Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was on the Moto2™ rostrum back in 2015 at the iconic circuit. In WorldSSP, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) never stood on the rostrum at Assen, claiming a best of seventh in Race 2 last year. Elsewhere, Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) will be hoping to continue his strong start to his rookie campaign going with more points finishes as he leads teammate Tito Rabat in the standings, while Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) will try to keep his recent improvements going after seemingly making a step at Portimao, while Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) continues to adapt to WorldSBK.

Relive the Portuguese Round with the highlights show HERE, read the Official Programme for Assen HERE and don’t miss a second of action using the WorldSBK VideoPass!